Why students opt to bunk lectures?

Ludhiana: In the school, what is the common one liner that you get to hear from your teacher when you are not concentrating during class? “If you are not interested you may leave.” Sounds familiar, right?

Youngsters seem to take this quite seriously as they grow older. This is probably the reason why bunking lectures is supposed to be “fashionable” amongst college goers. In the past, bunking lectures would be limited to a student or two. Gone are the days though. Today students have realised that “United they stand, divided they fall”. In this context mass bunking has become very popular.

Ask a first year student what he/she likes best about the transition from school to college and here’s what you are most likely to hear, the freedom to bunk classes without having to play hide and seek with class monitors and teachers. Bunking is turning out to be the most convenient option for students to bypass the boredom of attending lectures mainly last lectures are the most boring ones in the colleges. The humanity students get bore in last lectures mostly.

There are several reasons why students opt to bunk lectures. Among many, some interesting reasons were to avoid attending boring lectures and not wanting to miss out spending time with friends. However, what topped the list were hunger pangs that disrupt concentration in class and mood swings.

B A student Adivik khurana recalls an incident from when he was in B.A First year. There were only five students who had opted for environment lecture. he says, “our teacher was really boring so we used to usually mass bunk that lecture. One day I happened to be the only one present in college and as usual she called me to inquire if I was in college. I lied to her that I had left for home. However, I was seated outside the library with friends. Unfortunately, to my bad luck the teacher happened to come there for some work. I was caught red handed. I tried my level best to talk to her, but she ignored me.”

Another M.BA student, Sakshi Kapoor cites her reasons for bunking, “It’s an altogether different feeling doing things that we are otherwise not allowed to do. Lectures of some professors are so boring that sometime we can’t help but leave the class. I feel it is better to spend some hours with books rather than sleep in class just to mark attendance. Time is so precious that we can’t afford to waste it in such a silly way, “laughs Sakshi.

For some students bunking has not been easy on that count. Engineering student Amanpreet recollects his bunking experience. He says, “For us bunking mostly involves long and fast rides on our mean machines. But the craziest thing that happened one day was being caught speeding on a busy road by one of our friend’s father. Things didn’t end there. My friend bike was sold by his father the very next day.”

Bunking Zones

Bunking is not just limited to hanging out in malls, restaurant, multiplexes or parks. The campus itself is full of bunking zones tells BA student Raman Singh, “we are privileged that we have a full-fledged canteen on campus, which other colleges crave for. So, the canteen become out favourite spot. Then we have library where we can spend time. There are various other adda spots like lovers spot or sutta lane where we can have long hours of gupshups.”

“In our college our favorite bunking zone is the place under the stairs. I remember two other girls and I were debating over a topic under the stairs when we were caught by a lady professor. On beng asked why we were sitting there, we lied of having a break in classes. Surprisingly , she believed us to such an extent that she even told us make use of vacant classrooms, said B.Com student Arshleen Kaur

And if one plan to skip more than one class, he/she can go for a movie but if the idea is to miss just one or two classes, he/she can spend time at neighbouring colleges, nearby markets. “ when we bunk, we prefer to miss all the classes. So going for a movie is the best idea as you get to spend 2-3 hours in an AC hall and munch on nachos even if the movie is crappy, says BA student Ananaya Puri.

Puri added,“ sometimes its better to

bunk a class and enjoy with friends, because today when I look back, marks never make me laugh , but memories do”. Bunking is part and parcel of college life unless it is not at the cost of education.”

Teacher Says

When classes have to be cancelled due to planned mass bunking it is difficult task for teachers to handle. However those at a loss are the students, who, at some point of time, do realize the impact of their misdeed. The Assistant Proffessor, Mathematics, Khalsa College for Women, Meena Sharma feels that mass bunking is not a trend.

“it has been going on for generations. It is disappointing for teachers, but as long as it happens just once in blue moon it is not catastrophic. And again it’s the students who lose out because it puts the teacher- class relationship on a back foot.” I feels that mass bunking is a strong message from the students to the concerned faculty or management that something is seriously wrong and needs immediate attention.”

Manage Proxy Attendance

In city most colleges follow strict attendance rules. it is mandatory for every student to have at least 75 percent attendance in each subject/ practical in order to appear for the university exam at the end of the each semester.

There is defaulter’s list with the names of students whose attendance is below 75 [percent. Then this requires the student to submit additional projects. This rule has strongly enforced with curtails the independence of students who might misuse same during college hours. With such measures taken students are left with not much option but to attend as many classes to make up for attendance in each subject or strategically bunk classes.

Students have their means of compensating for the shortage of attendance. They must keep note of the number of classes they miss so that they can arrange for proxy attendance. Sometimes it becomes easier for students to manage proxy attendance. B.A student, Anita Sharma said, “If luck favours, we register proxy attendance for our friends and they do the same for us.” Shares her experience she says, My Punjabi teacher’s laziness works in my favour when she forgets to bring the attendance register because in that case the attendance is taken on a sheet of paper by some student and that can be easily taken care of”.

Curriculum Activities major help

Sometimes due to the curriculum activities followed in college there is not enough time for fun activities and hence bunking is sometimes not bad at all. Ashwani Puri, engineering student said,“ if we are caught bunking classes during this period, we just say we are preparing for a particular event. And for students who play for district or state level sports, the task becomes a cakewalk. Nobody objects since after all they are putting in the effort to make their institute proud.